What do algae-powered apartment complexes, micro-dwellings designed by Italian inmates and hay bale urinals from France all have in common? They're all featured in this spring's most popular posts.

Well, it's that time again: Temperatures are steadily rising, grills are being resurrected from retirement, and the streets are awash with grotesquely pale, prematurely exposed skin. That's right, summer is officially upon us.

As is custom, I'm observing the change of season — Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, officially arrives on Friday — by taking a leisurely jaunt down memory lane to highlight a few of the most memorable, most commented on, most Tweeted, and most liked posts from this past spring (with a few personal favorites thrown in for good measure). While this past winter was heavy on Frank Lloyd Wright- and Superstorm Sandy-related stories, spring was a decidedly more eclectic — and as you can tell from my headline, internationally flavored — affair with perennially popular topics such as tiny homes, energy-efficient lighting, shipping container reuse, green prefab, neighborly squabbles, urban farming, and, of course, the weird and wonderful world of IKEA all popping up here and there.

What’s been your favorite post of mine from this past spring? Are there any particular topics or stories that you'd like to see me tackle this summer and beyond? More garden gnome drama, perhaps?

As always, thank you for reading! And if you aren't already, feel free to follow me on Twitter to keep up to speed.

• From Shard to shoebox: Renzo Piano does micro-housing —Renzo Piano, the architect behind Europe's tallest skyscraper, has long been preoccupied with minimalist living. Now, he's completed his first micro-home, a 'technically perfect and aesthetically attractive refuge' named Diogene.